Diaper



Nov. 3, 1936. C. MaCGLASHAN DIAPER Filed July l2, 1935 lli" Ff i? l| Fig.

INVENTOR.

/one/ C'. Mac G/as/an Ag TRNEY,

Patented Nov. 3, 1936 STATES PATEN' 5 Claims.

This invention relates to garments and more particularly to an improvement of infants diapers, and consists of a sanitary one time diaper of such character and economical construction that it may be destroyed or otherwise easily disposed of after having been used once.

The object of the present invention is to simplify the construction and method of securing infants diapers, whereby they may not only be more easily and quickly applied and removed, but will be more secure, highly absorbent, comfortable, of ample coverage, and so inexpensive as to permit them to be discarded after use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a unitary construction which may be secured without pins, buttons or hooks, and wherein the strain or pulling effect will be comparatively widely distributed and so not unduly constrict the body of the infant nor hamper its movements,

A further object of the invention is to provide a diaper having deodorizing characteristics and to eliminate the necessity of laundering.

With the above primary and other incidental objects in view as will more fully appear in the specification, the invention consists of the features of construction, the parts and combinations thereof, and the mode of operation, or their equivalents, as hereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

In the drawing wherein are shown the preferred but obviously not necessarily the only forms of embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 1 illustrates the mode of application of the diaper forming the subject matter hereof.

Fig-2 is a plan view of the diaper when extended.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the partially constructed diaper illustrating the relative proportions .of the parts and method of folding the cover sheet or envelope.

Fig. 4 is a similar view illustrating a modification.

Fig. 5 is an extended plan View of a diaper of modied form.

Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughout the several views.

The diaper resulting from the present invention consists primarily of a pad of absorbent material, which is preferably though not necessarily cellulose fiber, enclosed in a wrapper or cover sheet of coarse fabric such as surgical gauze, which is slashed or cut and folded to not only enclose the absorbent pad but to afford integral ties or wing portions which facilitate the attach- (Cl. 12S-284) ment of the diaper and distribute the strain or pull thereof.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, l is the absorbent pad which may be of any suitabie material. Duc to its great capacity for 5 holding moisture and the rapidity with which moisture is absorbed, cellulose wood fiber, which is easily commercially obtainable at the present time, is preferred as pad material. The pad I is shown as of obiong rectangular shape, all0 though as hereinafter pointed out other shapes may be used. The pad is ordinarily cut approximately seven by twelve inches in size, which will be found a suitable average size although it may be made larger or smaller to iit infants of dif- 15 ferent age and size.

Associated with the absorbent pad I is a cover sheet 2 of fabric which is preferably, though not necessarily, surgical gauze. This sheet is out approximately eighteen by twenty-four inches in 20 size for the standard or average pad. The pad is positioned centrally of the cover sheet which is folded thereabout to form an envelope completely enclosing the pad I. The ends of th cover sheet 2 are slashed or cut at 3-3 in sub- 25 stantial alinement with the side margins of the pad I to points adjacent to, but spaced somewhat from the end margins of the pad thus forming at each end medial end flaps ll-fl.

The side margins of the cover sheet 2 are also 30 slashed or cut at 5 5 starting at points on the ,margins spaced inwardly somewhat beyond the projected margins of the ends of the pad I and extending diagonally inwardly on lines intersecting the side margins of the pad at points spaced 35 inwardly approximately one third the length of the pad, the cuts terminating at the margins of the pad thus forming divergent side flaps 5a-5EL and rhomboidal shaped corner sections 6-6.

The trapczoidal side flaps 5&--5a are inwardly 40 folded into overlapping relation over the pad I which is centrally disposed upon the cover sheet as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

The end flaps 3 3 are then infolded over the ends of the pad I into overlapping relation with l5 the side flaps @v -1l. The order in which the side and end flaps are infolded and the sequence of their overlapping relation are quite immaterial.

The corner sections I-- are then rolled or flatly folded over and over each upon itself until such folded portions are substantially in alinement with the terminal margins of the pad I from the ends of which the folded corner sections extend laterally in opposite directions to form 55 ties '1 -1. This leaves in the angle between the folded tie and the side of the pad, triangular web portions 8-8 forming with the folded ties lateral wing-like extensions which distribute the strain or pull upon the diaper throughout a considerable portion of the length of the pad l. This prevents the subsequently connected tie portions of the diaper pulling tightly in a definite line and tending to cut or chafe the infant about its waist.

In applying the diaper the infant is laid in one end of the diaper and the other end is drawn upward between the legs and the ties 1-1 of each side are interconnected, that is, a tie 1 at the front is connected to a tie 'l at the rear. This is preferably effected by tying, but if desired safety pins may be employed. The diagonal shape of the wings affords ample coverage, and while conforming closely do not bind nor chafe.

If desired a tape or string 9 may be extended transversely of the pad I at each end thereof between the pad and cover sheet as shown in Fig. 3, which in the final holding operation is enclosed in the laterally extending ties 'l' and serves to reinforce the ties. The tape extending on the exterior side of the pad when applied also tends to hold the' pad tightly in place. While this reinforcing tape may be desirable under some conditions of use it is not deemed to be essential.

Although the rectangular shape of the pad shown in Figs. 2 and 3 has been found quite satisfactory, the pad may be of truncated triangular form as shown in Fig. 5. Likewise while the triangular web portions 8 are preferred, there is shown in Fig. 4 a construction wherein these portions are omitted. In this form the side slashes or cuts 5 5 are disposed at right angles to the side margins of the pad l and not inclined thereto as in Fig. 3. Otherwise the method of folding and application is the same as before described.

The construction is so simple and the materials so inexpensive that after use the soiled pad I may be shaken from the cover into the toilet and flushed into the sewer, where due to the character of the material, it will entirely disintegrate under the action of water, while the cover sheet may be clipped into pieces and also deposited in the toilet or may be burned.

Such dimensions as are herein stated are for the purpose of illustration only and are not given with any intention of unduly limiting the invention.

If so desired the terminal cuts or slashes 3 may be omitted and the entire end portions 4 and 6 .folded flatly over and over and finally into overlying relation with the pad l to form the opposite ties l-'l.

From the above description it will be apparent that there is thus provided a device of the character described possessing the particular features of advantage before enumerated as desirable, but which obviously is susceptible of modification in its form, proportions, detail construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the principle involved or sacrificing any of its advantages.

While in order to comply with the statute the invention has been described in language more or less specific as to structural features, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific features shown, but that the means and construction herein disclosed comprise the preferred form of several modes of putting the invention into effect and the invention is therefore claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the legitimate and valid scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. The method of forming a diaper which consists of providing a rectangular sheet of fabric, superimposing a smaller similarly shaped pad of absorbent material centrally of said sheet of fabric, slashing the fabric sheet at spaced intervals from both its ends and side margins to points in approximate abutting relation with the margins of the absorbent pad to form flaps, folding some of said flaps over said pad and rolling the rest of said flaps to form integral ties of multiple thickness.

2. The method of forming a diaper which consists of freely mounting a pad of moisture absorbent material upon a relatively larger cover sheet of fabric, cutting the fabric sheet to form a plurality of integral flaps, folding Some of sai-d flaps over the pad, and folding the remaining flaps upon themselves to form two pairs of oppositely projecting integral tie strings.

3. The method of forming a diaper which consists of enclosing a pad of moisture absorbent material within a sheet of fabric, the ends and sides of which have been precut into a plurality of integral flaps, folding the end and side flaps in overlapping relation over the absorbent pad and rolling the corner sections of the fabric sheet intermediate the end and side flaps to form integral ties.

4. The method of forming a diaper which consists of enclosing a pad of moisture absorbent l material within a sheet of fabric, the ends and li sides of which have been precut into a plurality of integral flaps, folding the end and side aps in overlapping relation over the absorbent pad, providing a reenforcement strip and rolling the corner sections of the fabric sheet intermediate the end and side flaps about said reenforcement strip to form two pairs of reenforced integral ties.

5. The method of forming a diaper which consists of superimposing a pad of moisture absorbent material upon a relatively larger sheet of fabric, cutting the fabric sheet to form end and side flaps, folding the end and side flaps over the pad and folding the remaining portions of the ends and sides of said sheet upon themselves to approximate alignment with the ends of the pad to provide two pairs of integral tie strings projecting in opposite directions.

LIONEL C. MACGLASHAN. 

